Too late he woke up –
He’s now broke and has no home,
Wife owns it – alone.
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https://ronovanwrites.com/2018/07/16/ronovanwrites-weekly-haiku-poetry-prompt-challenge-210-wokeup/
RECIPE FOR FAMILY REUNION
I’m off for a family reunion this weekend. See you Tuesday or Wednesday. I might read a little but probably no posting. I’ll have to use the kindle, so I might read a book! I leave with you this recipe for a family reunion.
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The following ingredients and instructions will serve for any number of people of any age. Generally these people are related to each other in some way; however, friends are welcome. If group is large, strangers can get by with attending. Often includes grumps, trouble makers, and party poopers. That is okay if ingredients are mixed by gregarious extroverts.
Any date is good; however, special attention should be given to whether or not the date selected is on a major football date. Best not to choose that day if home is not equipped with large screen tv. Other furniture not important; however, house should be large if attended by over forty. Farm is best as it provides overflow and plenty of parking.
Ingredients are as follows: music, stunts, jokes, puzzles, toys, games, crayons, magic markers, etc. (Much food is necessary but that subject is handled in another chapter and is not a part of this writing)
Examples of possible ingredients are as follows:
Any music will do. Banjo players desirable. Suggested: She’ll be comin round the mountain, I’ll Fly Away, are possible choices.
Regarding jokes. Ask participants for new, but ask an expecially loving person to lead laughter for the old ones.
Stunts. Ask older people for clean harmless stunts. Avoid pulling chairs out from anyone.
Toys: Old standbys never lose favor.
Be prepared for camera shots at any moment you are unprepared! When families are called together for family shots, be nice, otherwise your displeasure is sure to show and it will do nothing to make you look better.
These kinds of activities, with much food, will satisfy most attendees for up to eight hours. Especially if presented on a large lot or farm setting where outdoor activities such as horseshoe and croquet can be played, and if food is left on tables.
None of this is guaranteed to satisfy all with addiction to modern tech but you might be surprised what a game of horseshoes can do even for that group. Just don’t feel like a failure if you see cousins “face” calling while sitting across the table from each other. This is not just an addiction of the young folks, but still some over thirty recall talking to one another face to face. So it might happen.
Ignore old grumps, get acquainted with strangers, enliven party poopers if you can, love the babies, and listen to stories of yester-years.
This recipe makes for a great day. Happy Reunion Day!
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image: my paternal grandfather’s family Samuel and Margaret Rodger’s family
OFTEN IT IS TRY AND TRY AGAIN
Faye at https://thechickengrandma.wordpress.com/2018/07/10/faith-and-farmers/ wrote about the faith of her husband as he tills the soil, sometimes over and over again. It made me remember the blog I posted in April, 2015. Many of you were not with me then so I’ve decided to copy and blog again. Remembering Faye’s husband, my daddy, and the other men/women who work at feeding families and nations.
DADDY WAS NO WHINER
Known for being a part of the Dustbowl history of the 1930’s—sometimes called the Dirty Thirty’s—my home in Southeastern Colorado in the 1940’s had changed considerably. Roosevelt’s programs, the WPA and the CCC, had made improvements in land conservation. Also farmers had learned new methods to care for their fields with the benefit of the modern equipment of those days. So by my twelfth year, I was bothered little by dustbowls which were rather rare by that time. Of course that was good news. Bad news: still little rain. No irrigation for us. Little, if any, for neighbors. Daddy planted crops, and looked to the sky in hopeful faith that the rain would come in time to save the seeds and give them the moisture to sprout into life. And the rain would come. Often gully washers. Replanting. Looking. Praying. All over again. But I never remember a crop failure. Did we have them? I don’t know, daddy was no whiner. Farmers didn’t whine. We were “carried” by the bank until harvest time. Bankers didn’t whine. The grocer kept a separate statement for most of the farmers. They would be paid twice a year. Once when the crops were sold; once when the steers were sold. But the grocers didn’t whine. Men were as good as their word. If disaster struck, all would go down together. But disaster didn’t strike. Instead prosperity* came.
So I am left with memories. Walking to school. Picking prairie flowers. Gathering hens’ eggs. Reading library books. Sunday and Wednesday church. Two week revivals. Entering spelling bees. Churning butter. Fried chicken. Baby sister. Extended family. Health. Security. Love. Jesus. Looking back, I wonder, “Was life really that good?” I guess I’ll never know. You see, Daddy was no whiner.
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*I chuckle a bit at using the word “prosperity” because most folks would still say we were poor. But we did buy a new car! And probably became a little bit more independent of the banker. I don’t know. Because as I said, Daddy was no whiner.
image: Pixabay
GET IN THE WHEELBARROW
There is a story told of Charles Blondin, a tightrope walker who walked over Niagara Falls in the mid 1800’s. He proved his expertise in many ways – in a sack, on stilts, on a bicycle, and in the dark. Amid the applause for his having pushed a wheelbarrow across the tightrope, he asked, “Do you think I can do it again?” There were shouts of “Yes.” He responded, “OK, get in.” No one got in.
I think that explains a note written in the margin of Granddad’s Bible that says: “get in wheelbarrow if you believe.” The scripture he underlined is “God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar.”
What an adventure awaits those who “get in His wheelbarrow.” My prayer is that I walk close enough to God so I can hear his voice; then if he tells me to get in, I jump in the “wheelbarrow” and let Him push me across the Falls!
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image: Pixabay
Posted in Bible, trust, Uncategorized
Tagged Charles Blondin, faith, Granddad Jim, trust
10 Comments
TIME MARCHES ON
Minutes, days, weeks, years –
every day the rooster crows;
Time will make us old!
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https://ronovanwrites.com/2018/07/09/ronovanwrites-weekly-haiku-poetry-prompt-challenge-209-olddays/
Posted in Uncategorized
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PRAY FOR OUR NATION
The following scriptures are good to base our prayers on:
Pray for the president and other leaders
I Tim. 2:1, 2 I exhort therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men: For kings, and for all that are in authority: that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
Repent for sins of the nation
Kings 8:33, 34+ When they people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and pray, and make supplication unto thee in this house: Then hear thou in heaven…
Ex. 34:9, 12 And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee go among us: for it is a stiffnecked people: and pardon our iniquity and our sin and take us for thine inheritance…Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with in inhabitants of the land…
Num. 14:19 Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of they mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.
Ex. 34:9, 12 And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee go among us: for it is a stiffnecked people: and pardon our iniquity and our sin and take us for thine inheritance…Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with in inhabitants of the land…
Thanks for his promises of blessings for the people and nations
that serve and trust the Lord God
II Chron. 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Ps. 17:7 Show thy marvellous living kindness. O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them.
Ps. 33:12-20 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance. The Lord looketh from heaven: he beholdeth all the sons of men. From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth. He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works. There is no king saved by the multitude of an host; a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. an horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength. The eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy: To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield.
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PROOF OF MODERN TECH IN THE INVISIBLE WORLD!
BREAKING NEWS! – This photograph appears to be the first of its kind which has entered the world as we know it. It gives proof that modern technology has entered the invisible world. Perhaps it is even more advanced in some respects, as this seems to be a full length “selfie.” Most selfies as we know them are basically face-selfies. Some will say this is Fake News, but it is generally accepted by main stream news media to prove the existence of a disabled invisible man. Police are checking old records regarding the disappearance of Paul Andrews whose whereabouts are unknown.
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Spoof piece submitted in response to Rochelle’s 100 word photo challenge.
Posted in fake news, humor, Rochelle's picture prompt, Uncategorized
Tagged fake news, humor, Rochelle's picture prompt
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CROSSING THE BRIDGE
For many years, George and Ida had talked about “crossing the bridge.” George’s dad “crossed the bridge” eighteen years ago; his mom eight years later. Friends were almost all over eighty and the time had come for them to cross the bridge.
But it was only six months ago that they knew they had to prepare for Ida to leave – to cross the bridge. They remembered songs about the great divide; they recalled that Jesus was sometimes referred to as “The Bridge” between life and death. They began trying to make the bridge look attractive. They sanded out the splinters and polished it with symbols of gold and silver, precious gems, and hallowed memories of those who had gone before. But it never could really look appealing. She didn’t want to go and he didn’t want her to. But now she had crossed. She was gone – gone forever.
One man crossed the bridge and returned after three days. He gave hope about the other side. That was some of the polishing they had done, recalling his story. But Ida still did not want to go. As she was leaving, George wanted to go with her. What would he do with Ida gone? What would he do left all alone? But he couldn’t go; it was not his time.
So now he sat thinking. She was gone; he was left. He would do what he had to do. He got up to call 911. Someone had to take care of the body lying in the bed. Ida had left it.
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https://athling2001.wordpress.com/2018/07/02/jsw-prompt-7-2-2018/
Posted in aging, death, Jesus, Jesus only way, JSW prompt, marriage, Uncategorized
Tagged agng, death, Heaven, Jesus only way, JSW prompt, marriage
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IT’S BEEN GREAT, MY DEAR!
Someone has to bend,
When two egos are united.
Willing to chance it?
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The picture: Mr. & Mrs. Samuel Hayes, July 5, 1953
In 1953 marriage was a covenant seldom looked at as breakable. When Sammy and I made that commitment it was done with a “until death do us part” future. Did we bend? Sure enough! He bent sometimes; I bent sometimes. The “Promise” was often subject to compromise. Could I have kept that promise if I had married someone else? Probably. I don’t know but I’m glad he wasn’t someone else! I’m glad my commitment was made to Samuel Hayes!
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NOTE: Do I think there are circumstances in which a divorce is justified? Yes. I do not think a person should be “broken” in any abusive situation. But many marriages could be saved by bending a little.
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THE TEAPOT CURSE
LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF
I had noticed the behavior of the lady across the street. Sometimes something seemed a bit bazaar. But I never bothered to befriend her So it was with some surprise that I greeted her when she came to my house. Nice day in June – green grass, flowers blooming, patio clean so I invited her to sit with me at the patio table.
She was greatly disturbed at the police. I tried to talk her down, to calm the situation. But she continued to complain not only about those in our present town but also about those in different towns in which she had lived.
Since I would not join in her criticism, she got angry and shouted at me, “Just you wait, in the morning your lawn will be covered with …..with ….tea pots.” With that she left me.
Sort of sad, but also sort of endearing that the worse she could wish upon me was a lawn full of tea pots!
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